Assembling machine



Aug. 1, 1933. A. J. LEWIS ET AL ASSEMBLING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 18. 1930 Aug. 1, 1933. A. J. LEWIS ET AL ASSEMBLING MACHINE Filed Jan. 18, 1930 9 Sheets-Sheet 3 lNVENTOR 15mm, AWYW Aug. 1, 1933- A. J. LEWIS ET AL 1,920,266

ASSEMBLING MACHINE Filed Jan. 18, 1930 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 lNVENTORSi MM" J m By Aiiorneys,

1933- A. J. LEWIS Er AL 1,920,266

ASSEMBLING MACHINE Filed Jan. 18, 1930 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig.1?!

I I ma FLgj. 1 55 Aug. 1, 1933. A. J. LEWIS ET AL ASSEMBLING MACHINE Filed Jan. 18, 1930 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTORS ArT NE0Y6- 1, 1933. A. J. LEWIS ET AL 1,920,266

ASSEMBLING MACHINE Filed Jan. 18. 1930 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 Fig 16.

140 15% .1 .JZ h... 150

W MMB H4515 INVENTORS:

m .7fl7zm/Z Aug. 1, 1933. A. J. LE WISET AL 1,920,256

ASSEMBLING MACHINE Filed Jan. 18, 1930 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTORS;

By Aliomeys,

Aug. 1, 1933. LEW U M 1,920,266

AS SEMBLING MACHINE Filed Jan. 18, 1930 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 75 /6'0 ;J60 I 1610 @y 0 Fig". 25. 1616 1616 1 121. 176% I.

INVENTORSI Patented Aug. 1, 1933 STATE ASSERIBLING MACHLKNE Arthur J. Lewis and J ch11 Vat Richardson,

Application January 18, 1930.

Serial No. 4211372 Claims. ((31. ea-es.)

This invention relates to a machine for asseinbling a screw-threaded ,plu. which swivelly carries a valve seat member upon a valve pin which has mounted thereon, a valve plunger or check, a Valve spring, and a supporting element for said spring, the valve plunger, valve spring, and spring support being non separably mounted upon the valve pin.

In the manufacture of tire valve insidesof the type to which the present invention is directed as heretofore carried out, the various valve parts were made on separate machines and were subsequently assembled into units and then into the completed valve insides through the intervention of both human and mechanical agencies. Although these operations were conducted with a high degree of enicienoy it was recognized that handling of the small elements by the human fingers was both tedious and trying onthe operators, and also proved to be the largest item in the manufacturing cost.

To increase the manufacturing efficiency and to overcome the objections before noted, we have provided a machine in which the assembling of the two units of the valve inside before mentioned is carried out automatically in a corn tinuous operation.

According to the present invention we provide a machine having a plurality of instrumentalities by means of which a valve pin having a valve plunger, a valve spring, and a spring support non-separably mounted thereon. is fed to an-intoriittently moving conveyor having a plurality of recesses to receive said pins, which in turn j are successively conducted to a plurality of stations where-at the following operations are automatically performed with respect to or upon the flied valve pin: the valve pin ispositively seated in a recess; a unit of the screw plug and valve taile description which follows.

"operative emhodiment of our invention is shown in the machine illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a tire valve inside, the same being the final product turned out by the machine of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the machine forming the subject matter of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a fractional end elevation of the mechanism shown Fig. 4. i

Fig. 6 is an and elevation showing the portion missing from Fig. 6.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged top plan partlybroken away of the raceway constituting a part of the feed mechanism shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is. an enlarged side elevation partly broken away of the feed mechanism shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 9 is an end elevation of the raceway constitut ng part of the feed mechanism shown in Fig. i, said elevation being that at the lower end of the raceway.

Fig. 10 is a transverse section of the raceway taken substantially along the plane of the line 10+10 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 11 is a top plan view of the pin feed interrupter mechanism at the lower end of the raceway, and of the means operating the same.

Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 11.

Fig. v13 is a top plan View of the means for feeding the pins to the receses in the dial.

Fig. 14 is a side elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 13.

Fig. 15 is a side elevation of a feed hopper and its operating mechanism by means of which the valve plug and valve seat units are fed.

Figs. 15 and 1'7 are atop plan and an end elevation respectively of the feed hopper shown'in Fig. 15. I

Fig. 18 is a top plan view of the interrupter means at the lower end of the raceway leading from the feed hopper shown in Fig. 15.

Fig. 19 is a side elevation partly in section of the means shown in Fig. 18.

Figs. 20 and 21 are a top plan view and a side elevation respectively of centering means for the valve plugs and seat members fed from the interrupter means shown in Figs. 18 and 19 to the dial.

Fig. 22 is a top plan view of the centering means shown in Fig. 20, together with its operating mechanism, and also the means for swaging the pins and its operating inechanis Fig. 23 is a side elevation of the pin swaging means shown in 22.

The machine of the present invention is adapted to feed the following units: (a) A valve pin having a valve plunger *1, a valve 32, and a spring mounted upon said pin 31, and (b). a screwthreaded plug 34 which swivelly carries the valve seat member 35, the units (a) and (b) being non-removably carried upon the pin 31 through the medium of the swaged enlargements 36 and 37 at the opposite ends of oin. The assembled valve inside is shown in Figure l of the drawings.

In order that the manner of operating the various parts of the machine which will be hereafter described in detail may be clear, the arrangements by which the power is applied to the various mechani us will he first briefly descrihed.

As shown in ti e various figures the parts are either mounted upon or supported by a suitable table 40 in suitable hearings on which are sup ported a shaft having mounted for free rotation thereon a gear 42 adapted to he driven by any source of motive power, and adapted to impart rotation to the shaft 43 through the medium of a clutch which is controllable by an operating handle 450 through lever 45b con.- necting red as and clutch yoke @505. A shaft to is driven from the shaft 43 through the medium of miter 43a and 45a mounted on said respective shafts. A shaft 47 is driven from shaft 43 through the medium of a spiral gear 43?) mounted on the 43, and a spiral gear (not shown.) mounted upon the shaft av in cooperative engagement with the gear 4322, A stub shaft, 48 is adapted to be driven from the shaft 46 through the medium of a pinion 461"- in mesh with a 4e upon the shaft 48.

Mounted on the shafts 4'7, and d8 are numerous cams and pulleys through the medium of which the various operating mechanisms of the machine are controlled. The functions of these cams and pulleys will now be briefly de scribed.

Referring to shaft 46, there is mounted thereon. a he'vel'gear so for driving the pin feeding hopper; a pulley 51 over which is trained a helical coiled spring belt which constitutes the carrying means for the pins down the raceway of the pin feeding mechanism; a cam 52 which controls the plunger pin interrupter; a earn 53 which controls the plunger pin feeding finger at the interrupter station; a pulley 5-; over which is trained a belt for driving a kick-off means in the plunger pin feed hopper; a cam 55 which operates means for lifting the plunger feeding finger; a cam 55 which COIlbl'QlS the lifting of the feeding slide from the plunger pin raceway; and a cam 57 which controls the oscillation of the feeding slide for the plunger pin raceway. On shaft 4! cam 58 controls the movements of a shutter a pusher rod at the plunger pin feeding station, and a cam 59 which controls the support 33 non separa'hly casing.

taking place at each of the operative stations of the dial. On shaft d8 cam controls a shutter upon the swivel plug hopper, and heart earn 56 controls the oscillation of the swivel plug hopper.

The various subordinate and correlating mechanis he of the machine, together with operating means, will now be described more in detail.

, The dial conveyor and operation theveof.-For intermittently presenting the fed valve pins or plungers to the respective stations w. ere-at the various operations are performed thereon or with respect thereto, there is provided dial 79 which is formed about its periphery with vertically di posed radial recesses ii, and surrounding s dial to provide a closure for said radial rece es is a guard ring '72, all of whic is host shown in F s. 2 and 22. The dial is intermittently rotated up n a vertical shaft '73 by operative means controlled by the 63 and th details of said operating means being not shown herein as tho seine are described. and claimed in detail in a co pending application, Serial No. 383,398, filed August 3, 1929, and of which application Arthur J. Lewis, John W. Richardson, and Charles Spill. the co-inventors of the presen three or J machine are the joint inventors.

Valve pin feeding means (Figs. 4 to 10) .The valve pins which are to be operated upon may be fed to the recesses '21 in the dial '70 in any preferred manner. In vi w, however, of. the mounting of the coiled spring 32' upon the pin 30, the diificulty of properly feeding such spring-mounted plus, we have designed a novel form of feed hopper therefor, which as herein shown comprises a pin receptacle or reservoir '75 of somewhat h ing through salt" receptacle and u 7 from is a substantially cylindrical casing '76 which as herein shown is formed of two longi tudinal sections '?So 76b sui ably bolted together as shown at 76c, ca being not complete cylindersince it is longittdinally open as shown at 2601. Mounted within the cylinder '76 is a helix '77 which closely fits the interior of said said helix extending the in is: h o the cylinder through the receptacle said h in; being relatively narrow to pr e hollow core throu hout its length as best shown in Fig. 6. The helix '77 is mounted at the upper end of a sh t V8, the lower end of which can L e a bevel gear 9 in mesh with the gear 58: on l6, shaft 78 being supported in a suitahlo hearing provided in bracket member 78o, mounted upon the table lG. The casi g helix 7'? mounted in inclined relation to the horizontal so that the helix is rotated it will pick. up and progressively carry valve ins from the receptacle '75 toward the top of the casing 76, whereat the casing is provided with an enlarged opening its throu h which. the pins are discharged from the he to the troughdike top of a slide or chute Mounted on said slide. 89 is a raceway 81 extending substantially parallel to the chute, the trough like portion 80a lead'ng from the upper end of the raceway 81 to the opening 76c in the The raceway 81 is substantially semi-- circular or trouglnshaped in cross-section for portion of its length, and for the remainder of length is substantially circular in cross-section, or cylindrical in form so as to guide the valve pins longitudinally therethrough. On the cylindrical portion of the'raceway just below hers the trough formation thereof, there is provided a deflector element 82 adapted to deflect back into the cylinder any pins which come down the chute 89 outside of the raceway 81.

Mounted transversely across the top of the receptacle in suitable bearings 75a is a shaft 75?) upon one end of which is mounted apulley 75c adapted to accommodate abelt' trained around pulley 54 on shaft 46. Upon shaft 75 intermediate its ends there is mounted afixed bushing 75d and a movable bushing 75c, the latter being provided with a flanged end 75], theface of which is radially notched or toothed. The bushing 75a is loosely mounted on theshaft 75b, and is longitudinally movable with respect theretoby having a set screw 75g seating in'a spiral groove (not shown) on said shaft. The flanged bushing 75a i resilientlyheld at the forward end of its movement by a coiled spring 75h mounted upon the shaft 7% between thehbushings 75d and 756. In said position the -fianged'head 75] directly overlies the raceway 81; andas the shaft 75?) is rotated said head 75 functions as a kick-or? to pip-vent jamming or" the valve pins in the race way, and also as a vibrator for the raceway whereby the pins are assisted in their sliding movement downwardly in addition to the action of gravity thereon.

The raceway 81 communicates atits lower end v 1 a supplemental raceway 83 disposed in alignment therewith and forming substantially a continuation thereof. As seen in Figs. 9 and. ill

the grooves 84b and 85b to provide a substantial-- ly cylindrical channel. The grooves 84a and 85a in their complemental relation also provide a substantially cylindrical channel. To hold the element 86 in vided, the lower ends of said clips engaging over pins 840 at the lower edge of the member 84, the upper ends of said clips being inwardly bent and curled to engage over the top surface of the element 86. Secured to the members 84 and 85 by bolts 88 is a guide plate 39 which extends parallel to the member 85 and is spaced therefrom by a spacingplate 90 through which the bolts 88 also pass. The spacing plate 90 does not extend to the full width of the members 85 and 8S, and. accordingly, provides a channel between said members inwhich channel. is disposed and longitudinally movable aplate 91. Carr ed by said plate in parallel spaced relation thereto a blade 92, the lower edge of which has a serpei 'ne formation 92a which extendsinto a space pro ided between th adjacent faces of the men- 85 and 86. For holding said blade in .ced relationto the plate 9lbolts 91s are provided and fitted with spacing elements 91b. To permit relative movement or" the blade '92 transversely with respect to the plate 91, the bolts Qla en e i are normally pressed against the top of said slots by tension springs 920, the central portio s of which are bowed and anchored over the. plateas shown at92cl in Fig. 8.

For reciprocating the plate 91 and with it E L-W'. m otea intermediate .most in slot, and as it elow the superposed -relation upon the member 84; a plurality of'spring clips 8'? arepro- 106 sr-opo.

pins

elongated slots 92b in the blade the blade 92 relatively to the raceway 83, the plate 91 is fitted with a pin 93 which carries at its outer end bl cl: which is straddled the bifurcated ofa lever 95 which is pivits ends upon a pin 95 carried by an exten ion 78b of bracket member '73s, the other end of said leverbeing provided with a roller 95?) which is held-in contact with "he surface of can1.57. In thevcourse of the reciprocating movement of the plate 91, that is,

said plate is moved rearwardly o with respect to the raceway 83, i

wa out ocontact with the orcar 't within. not to interfere with the iorwai -i, or

downward of said carrier element or pins. The lifting of. the p o 31 is accoinp through w a by a .The timing or the movements OI the 95 and 99 are such that when the blade inovi. g or downwardly i 3 lower "oves rea s rdly it uppermost in its slot. To insure movement of the blade (1 wn inoits s1 it reach the l mit of its rearward 7 g Si is in the po on wi to the S? as shown .rig'S, there is vided a roller lei mounted in sliding relation with lower-end said bracket havl chorage 102a to w connected. opp

Disposed within the c by the surfaces helical spi og 183, whio pulley l help-on" 75f, supported in bracket 78b, then 51 mounted on sh it the tarln the cy by the surfaces 843;,

Ed hav' Way being accompl of the movement of the joint action 'ng and clad-e llzwith Asthe pins supplied the raceway 3 from the. hopper '75 reach th lower or" aid racetl ey are" .nittently a d p0 itively fed in timed relation to a secondar i from which they are ii t in in was from the l .gineans corno v lien. is

if end. i

the opposite v cling Because pins there 1 interrupter pin pin from said ment of the valve pin there is provided a valve pin feed finger 115 which is reciprooable longitudinally of the raceway between the pins of the 198 is moved to release the valve block. To insure positive moveinterrupta. Said feed finger is mounted to slide upon a guide rod 116, and sliding movement is imparted to said iced finger through the medium of hell crank lever 117 which is pivoted in a bevring 118 mounted on the table 40, one end 11% of said lever being rockably engaged in a rcated bearing 1151) depending from the lower side of a member 115d to which the finger 115 is connected, and the opposite end of said bell crank. lever being provided with a roller 11719 which is held in contact with the surface of cam by a tension 118a. For alternately moving the engaging end of finger 110 into gripping contact with a ted valve pin for positively moving the same down the raceway, there is provided a bell crank lever 120 which is pivoted at 120a, one arm 1201) or" said lever being adapted to engage the pin 115 to move it downwardly when the other arm 1200 of said bell crank lever is engaged by the end 121d of a bell crank lev r 121 which is pivoted at 118, as the opposite end of said bell crank lever 121 which carries the roller 1211) rides over the high of cam 55. A tension spring 1 1 normally holds the roller 12119 in contact with the surface of cam55. For releasing the engaging contact of the arm 12Gb with the finger 11.5 a tension spring 123 is pro- 7 vide For adjusting the degree of axial movem nt of the ringer 115 about slide rod 116 there is provided a set screw 124 at the end of the arm 1530c of the bell crank lever 120. It is to be tin--v derstood that the engagement of the finger 115 i which the valve pins are then dropped pushed into the recesses of the rotatable It will be understood that the fed pins coming down the raceway are not all in the same order, that is to say, some will be bare pin foremost, and others with the encircling spring iorer ost. The tunnel-shaped chute 126, accordingly, serves to drop the valve pins so that they will all fall into the recess at the bottom of the chute in upright position, or bare uppermost. To drop a pin from the gate or shutter 125 into the chute the gate is laterally movable through the mediunr of a link 125a-rigidly secured to one end of second link 1251), the other end of said link 1251) being rigidly secured to a lever 1250,

properly the opposite end of which is mounted upon a pin 1270; to be rotatable therewith. The pin is mounted in an upright hearing 12'? and nas secured to its lower end one end of a lever 128 *ch carries at its opposite end a roller "1 engagement with the surface of crown cam 58. Between the bearing 127 and lever 1250 there mounted upon the pin.12la for rotational movement therewith, a lever 129, the end 129a of which abuts against a vertical pin 130 carried by a slide block 131 at the forward end of which there is provided a projection 131a to engage a pin after it is dropped from the chute 126 to move said pin radially inwardinto a rec s 3'1 the dial. The slide block 131 is guided movement by the walls 132a of blocl: The slide block 131 is normally toward the dial by a to sicn spring one end of said spring being anchored to blccl; and the other end to the. pin 13o. the engageinen't'of the end 1295; with re pin 130 the spring 133 also functions to exert rotative force upon pin 12%;, and in turn upon the lever to hold the roller 1280: in th the cam 58. It will be seen from n of Figs. 13 and 14 that the moveof the gate shutter 125, and of the 1531c are substantially simultaneous since bothcontrolled by he same and rotative 13" Hence, in the operation of the parts 125 and c it will be apparent that as the shutcpens to drop a pin the pusher red 1310: 2 inwardly to push a pin previously dropped intothe dial.

cm the pin feeding station the dial carries a feed pin to the next station whereat a verplunger carried at the end of a lever 135 n oveddownwardly into a recess 1'1 under the influence of cam iich engages the opposite end of lever 135 to insure proper seating of the valve pin within the dial recess.

ocloc sect means. the rece in the dial, station whereat they within the dial are moved to the swiveled plug and valve seat station whereat a oreviously swive y-asseinbled screw plug 3 1 and i ve zer 35 are mounted upon the valve pin above the valve plunger 31 thereon.

The swiveled plug and valve seat be fed to the 71 in the in any preferred manner. As herein shown, they are fed from an oscillatory hopper 1411 down an inclined raceway 141 to a feed interrupts means 1 12 at the lower end oi said raceway, from which interrupter means the swiveled plug and seat men bers are released singly in tiined relation to the recesses 11 in the dial in timed relation to the movement of said dial to present said recesses at said station.

The feed hopper may be of any preferred con struction to feed ,ieaded members to a raceway, and as herein shown consists of a subptacle having a raceway co and tubular portion 14:02, the track in said tu u r portion being e deflect a or disposed at rt 1 10s, disposed the tack pori T e bottom of the r 119 formed wi h inclined bottom portions 14% and 1 186 at its rear and forward of the so portions respectively, and has mounted thereon a pyramid-like projection l lilf whichserves as a deflector for the parts withinthehopper: as the latter is oscillated. A cover member 1409 maybedisposed over-the top of the rear portion of the hopper. to prevent throwing out of they parts as the hopper is oscillated. Disposed within the track 14% at the rear of the hopper is a plate 14077. whichnormally has its. top surface disposed below the top. of thetrack as not to interfere with the reception and guiding members to be fed therein, said plate 14th being pivoted between the walls of said track being held in its lowermost position therein through the medium of a compression spring 1407' of said plate and a pin 14% carried by a slidable pin 1402 which extends through aprojection on the underside of the hopper, the top of said pin 1492 being adapted, to engage the un derside of, the. plate 14011. to-move' the same: upwardly within the track when thelower endof the pin 1492 strikes, against the-resilient projection 143a mounted on the crank pin .143 as .the

' hopper is oscillated by said crank pin.

The hopper 14% is provided on its opposite sides intermediate its ends with trunnions 144 into whichiseat the tapered 'ends'of set screws 145 mounted in brackets 146 and 146a supported on the table of the machine 417. The hopper is oscillated about its pivot pointin the trunnions 14.4, in the following manner: The pinion b mounted on shaft 46 is. "in mesh" withgear 49 mounted on shaft 48. Secured to the hub of said gear. 49 through thexmediuni of bolts-49a is a heart wheel 68, the peripheral surface of which "ends the crank carries a roller 143d which is held in contact with they peripheral surface of the heart wheel 66a bya tensicnspring 148 which is anchored at oneend to the lower endof the to which the connected to a depending lug"v on the .underside' crank, and at its other endto-the-Inachine frame.

Foradjusting the effective length of the, crank it is formed of two parts adjustably connected toge ucine 143a The end of the crank opposite that spring 148 is anchored is .pivotally of the hopper 140, as shown at 143]. It will thus be seen that as the gear 49'is rotated byipinion.

46b, heart wheel 66 will also be rotatedpand in its rotation will move the. roller 143d eccen trically to oscillate the hopper 140 in a vertical.

direction.

Mounted on the inner wall of the hopper 143 is an angular bracket 140m having a slot therein through which an arm or lever 1401i extends, one end l loo. of said arm being inwardly deflected toward the track, and the other. end 140p extending through the frontwall of thehopper and terminatingv in an angular portion 14011. A tension spring 140T normally draws the arm toward the end of the slot nearest the middle of the hopper. Mounted in front of the hopper is. an'arcuate rail 1435 which abuts against the shoulder in the angular portion 140g of the member. 14012, and a cam140s engages the outer face of said arm. Asthe hopper l io is oscillated, the. shoulder in the portion 140:; rides against the arcuate rail, which functions to move the arm 14011, inwardly as the hopper moves to non-feeding position,

which inward movement causes the .end 1400 to engage across the. track140c to close the same r through the mediumjof a unionor turntrack portion 146?: to prevent theparts held the portion of the track 1400 from being released back into the hopper. This arm control accordingly functions to insure a supply of parts within the track portion 1400 for delivery to the raceway 141 when the hopper again assumes its inclined position shown in Fig. 15. As the hopper assumes this posi ion, the cam 14 3s moves the arm 14612 to the left, in Fig. 16; againstthe ten-.

of spring 14 31" to open the supply of parts irom 14013 to 1400. The arcuate rail 140s and 146s are mounted fast upona pintle 1498 wl ich has a downwardly-bent portion-1405?, to which is anchored a tension spring 1408 which functions to permit slight rotation or' movement oi the rail 149.9 for clearance purposes-asthe hopper is oscillated. For preventing discharge of the parts from the track- 14% as it moves into the positionshown in Fig.15, the opening in ie front wall of-the hopperis normally closed by agate 150a formed at one, end of a pivoted lever 156, the gate end of said lever, being normally closed by the action of a tension spring 15%. The spring 1502) normally holds the gate 150a in closed position until it is physically'opened by engagement against the end-151D of the control rod 151, which control rodis carried by a bell-' crank lever 152 supported in the bracket 146, one end of said bell-crank lever-carrying a roller 152a which is normally pressed into" engagement with-the surface of cam 55 by a coil spring 151a mounted upon the rod .151 and which presses against an abutment 1462) on the bracket member 1 d; For holding the gate in open position,

a. spring-pressed latch 154 engages the control rod 151 when'it is in open gate position.

11 in the feeding of the plugs from the-hopper 140 to the raceway 141 a plugshould become caught at the. upper end of the raceway, there is mounted within the raceway between the walls-thereof a plate 155 which is urged upwardly-intoitsnormal position by a flat leaf spring 1553, said platebeing adapted to yield under strain and thus permit the plug to pass down the raceway.- 7 r I At the lower end of the raceway 141 the interrupter means 142 control the feeding'of the plugs to the recesses in the dial. Said interrupter .means 142 consists of a member which is mounted upon a stud 142a to be rotatable or oscillatable therewith, the lowerend of said stud having con nected therewith'a bell-crank lever 15?, one end;

ameter of a plug member which is fed down;

the raceway. The alternate movement ottheh jaws 142?) and 1420 across the raceway, it will be appreciated, will control the release of the plugs from the, endof the raceway singly in timed relation with said movements of the jaws.

. The timed movement of the jaws of the interrupter is controlled by the movement of thelever 157, which, in turn, is controlled bythe move-- .ment of the pin-centering means at the plug gfeeding station, These centering means consist of a pair of slide members 160 and 161 whichare oppositely movable in a slide block 162 carried by the machine, the rear ends of said'slide members each carrying an angular bracket 160a and 161a, respectively, the free ends of said brackets having elongated slots into which extend pins 160i) and 161b, respectively, said pins being mounted upon a double bell-crank lever 163 which is pivoted at 163a, the free end of the long arm of said bell-crank lever being provided with a roller 1631) which is held in contact with the surfaceof cam 60 through the medium of a tension spring 154, one end of said spring being anchored to the pin 1601) and the other end being anchored to the guide block 162. At the forward end of the slide members 160 and 161 they are fitted with jaw members 1600 and 1610, respectively, the end of jaw member 1610 being angularly disposed so as to bring its jaw into alignment with the line of movement of the jaw 1600. As seen from Figs. 20 and 21, said jaw members each comprise two elements, namely, a fiat base element 160d and lfild, respectively, each provided with a cooperating V or angular detent for engaging and centering the pin 30 within a recess in the dial, and a countersunk portion 160s and 161e, respectively, at its upper face, which, in cooperative relation, provide a funnel-like guide for centering and guiding a fed, swiveled plug and valve seat member 34, 35 upon said pin 30. Mounted upon the slide member 160 rearwardly of the jaw is a vertical pin or abutment 165, which, as the slide member moves rearwardly, is adapted to engage the lever 157 to move the same about its pivotal axis. The

movement of the lever 157, it will be apparent,

will rotate the pin 142a and with it the jaws 1 12b and 1 120 of the interrupter. As the slide member 160 moves forwardly the spring 159 will move the lever 15'? in the same direction. Synchronous with the movements of the slide members, the lever 157 and the interrupter jaws, is the movement of the rod 158 which is carried by the lever 15?. 'The free end of said rod 158 is movable through an opening in the guide block 166, through which a vertical opening 166a extends leading from the discharge end of the raceway 141' and being in aligned relation to a recess in the dial at the plug feeding station. When the free end of the rod 158 extends into the opening 166a it provides a seat or gate upon which a fed plug is held before its release to a valve pin.

From the foregoing description of the mechanism at the plug feeding station it will be seen that as the slide members 160 and 160a are alternately reciprocated through the medium of bellcrank lever 163, plugs coming down the raceway 141 are released in timed relation to the opening 166a to be received upon the'member 158, and then subsequently released by the member 158 to be guided by the centering means 1600 and 1610 upon the valve pin.

Pin swaying station-From the plug applying station the dial conveys a valve pin with a plug in position thereon to the pin swaging station, whereat a pair of swaging dies are caused to operate upon the top of the pin to enlarge the same and thereby hold the plug in non-removable a sembled relation upon the valve pin. the dial as it approaches the swaging station is guided by a block 170 mounted on a bracket 1'71, which, in turn, is carried by a block 172 mounted in superposed relation to the dial, said guide member 1'70 also acting as a means for centering the pin at said swaging station. As

A pin in the dial comes to rest, a pair of swaging dies 173, 174 carried by a supporting unit 175 mounted between the ends 176a and 177s of a pair of levers 176 and 177, respectively, which are pivotally mounted at 1761) and 17%, respectively, and which have at their opposite ends rollers 17% and 177b, respectively, held against the surfaces of cams 62 and 61, respectively, by a tension spring 173, are adapted to move toward each other when said rollers ride over the high on said cams to swage the end of the pin.

From the pin swaging station the assembled units upon the further rotation of the dial engage a curved deflector or kiclcoff 180 which functions to discharge the assembled units from the dial.

From the detailed descriptions of the various subordinate mechanisms and their manners of operation, as Well as their correlation with the intermittent dial feed of the valve pins to the various operating stations, it will be apparent that we have provided a machine which in a wholly automatic manner feeds units consisting of a valve pin having mounted thereon a valve plunger, a spring and a spring support, and units consisting of a screw plug which swivelly supports a valve seat member and assembles said units together to provide a complete valve inside.

The specific instrumentalities disclosed herein, it is to be understood, are only shown by way of example and are not to be construed as limitations upon the invention. Accordingly, other instrumentalities in the same or modified combinations may be substituted for those herein disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What we claim is:

l. A machine of the character described, comprising an intermittently movable conveyor for successively presenting valve pins or the like to a station, means for presenting a valve seat member above a pin at said station and releasing said seat member so that it will drop over the pin by the action of gravity on said seat member, and means at said station for aligning the pin and the valve seat to insure the positioning of the latter over the former.

2. A machine of the character described, comprising an intermittently movable conveyor for successively presenting valve pins or the like to a station, means for presenting a valve seat member above a pinat said station and releasing said seat member so that it will drop over the pin by the action of gravity on said seat member, and means at said'station for engaging the pin and for guiding the valve seat member over said pin as said seat member moves downwardly.

3. An assembling machine of the character described, comprising a conveyor having a plurality of spaced recesses, said conveyor being intermittently movable to present the recesses successively to different stations, means at one station for feeding a valve pin to each recess as it reaches said station, and means at a subsequent station for feeding and applying a valve seat member upon a pin as it reaches said station.

,4. An assembling machine of the character described, comprising a conveyor having a plurality of spaced recesses, said conveyor being intermittently movable to present the recesses successively to different stations, means at one station for feeding a valve pin to each recess as it reaches said station, means at a subsequent station for feeding and applying a valve seat member upon a pin as it reaches said station, and

means at a subsequent station .for swaging the upper end of the pin. J

5. An assembling machine oi the character described, comprising aconveyor, having a plurality of spaced recesses, f said conveyor being intermittently movabl to present "he recesses successively to .erent'stations, means at one station for feeding a valve pin having a plunger mounted thereon to each recess as it reachessaid station, means at a 'subsequentstation for feeding and applying avalve seat rnelnher upon a pin above the plungeras said recess reaches said station, and ineans atv a subsequent station for operating upon said assembled parts to prevent their separation, the various means being intermittently tiine controlled.

6. A roach means for successively presenting said recesses to station, and means at said station for centering a pin within a recess, said last named means comprising a pair of opposi ely-reciprm' cable slide inernhers provided one set of adjacent ends with cooperating jaws for engaging a pin, and connected at their opposite ends to the means for reciprocating said members.

8. A eed hopper for or the like, comprising a substantially. housing, a hollow helical conveyor rotatably mounted within the housing with the outer peripheral edge of' the helix in close proximity to the wall of the housing, a pin receptacle into which the conveyor and housing extend, and araceway to which the pins are delive ed by the conveyor, the housing. having an opening where it extends into the pin receptacle and an opening leading to the raceway.

9. A feed hopper for pins or the like, comprising a substantially tubular housing, a hollow helical conveyor rotatably mounted within the housing with the outer peripheral edge of the helix in close proximity to the wall of the housing, said housing and helix being inclined with'respect to the horizontal, a pin receptacle near the lower end of the housing into which the conveyor and housing extend, and a raceway near the upper end of the housing to which the pins are delivered by the conveyor, the housing having anopening where it'extends into the pin receptacle andan opening lead ng to the raceway. I

10. A pin or the like conveyor, comprising a raceway, means for delivering pins to said race- 12. A pin or the like conveyor, comprising raceway, a travelingbelt in said-raceway for "supporting the pins, and a reciprocable member encirclin FZLE-SEVYSIY, {L member 111 adapted on its forward stroke to engage and cause said pins to niove'within the raceway. Y

" l3. 'A-conveyor for valve pins or the like havin spring thereon, comprising a hexible ca: ing pins and causing them to move with said carrier.

i l. A conveyor for valve pins or the like having encirc ing sp ing thereon, comprising a traveliiex' carrier unon which the pins are supported with their logs in contact with. said carrier, a reciprocable member for causing said pins to ove with said carrier.

A conv for valve pins or the having an or circlii v rin, thereon, aclosely coiled helicalspnng belt upon which the pins are adapted to he supported with their springs in contact with the 1g helt, means for clamping the pins said helt so as to be carried thereby as the belt is moved.

16. A pin or the 'K" feeding means, corn rising ier for pins and means for engagraceway, rnern mounted in superpo ed relat-ion" to said raceway and reciprocaole with rer-ec thereto, means for urging said member into i 3 with the fed in the raceway on t e of the member, and means i said member out of contact with the fed pins on the backward st else of said member.

17, A pin or the like fee 13 means, ted super lotion to said ra eway and reciprocahle with respect thereto, means for urging said member 0 contact v th the ied pins in the eway on so or" the member, ans, for oer out of contact with theied on the backw rd stroke of s d member; the

u on its supporting member.

18. A pin or the like feeding means, comprisraceway-a traveling belt for supper blflg p .s in raceway, a member mounted in suosed relation to said beltand reciprccahle with respect thereto, means for her into. contact with the fed pins in the raceway on the forward of the member, and ire ns for holding said member out of contact with the fed pins on the backward member, the-'reciproc le member being resiliently mounted upon s supporting member-and having its edge whichcontacts with the pins'of serpentine form.

19. A pin or the like feeding means, comprising a raceway and an interrupter for releasing the pins singly in timed relation, said interrupter comprising a pair of spaced pins disposed trans- Versely to the raceway and alternately POVEtblE procable ineni er being reslhently mounted urgingsaid mem stroke of said across the raceway, pins being resiliently mounted for independent movement in an axial direction.

. 2D. A pin or the like feeding means, comprising a raceway, a traveling belt in said raceway for carrying the pins down said raceway, an interrupter iorreleasing the pins down the raceway singly timed relation, and means'for positive- 'ly moving a pin'down the raceway independently across the raceway, and means for positively moving a pin down the raceway when the interrupter is in pin releasing position, said means be operable upon the pins between the spaced stop elements of the interrupter.

A pin or he like feeding means, comprising a raceway, interrupter for releasing the pins down t e singy in timed relation, and ccacle member positively moving a an the raceway when the interrupter is in roles ig position, said reciprocable member g adapted on its forward stroke to engage along the raceway.

A device of the characte described, com prising an. intermittently rnovable conveyor having recess within which pins are adapted to be received, and means for feeding pins to said recesses singly in timed relation, means comprising a raceway to which pins are supplied, interrupter for releasing the pins singly in timed relation, a shutter upon wi ch a released pin is received, means for moving the shutter to deliver the pin to the recess in the conveyor, the movement of said Various parts being timecontrolled.

24. A device of the character described, comprising an intermittently rotatable dial having fraolial peripheral recesses within which pins are adapted to be received, and means for feeding,

pins to said rece ses singly in timed relation, said means c nprising a raceway to which pins are suppli interrupter means for releasing the pins isingly in lined relation, a shutter upon which a released pin is 'eceived, for moving the shutter to deliver the pin to a recess in upright position, and a radially movable pusher rod for pushing said pin into a dial recess, the movement for" said various parts being time-controlled.

25. A feed hopper for members having an annular groove, comprising a pair of spaced rails for engaging the groove in the members and upon which rails said members can seat and slide, said Tjrails having a portion in which the members seat rneinbers seat in a substantially horizontal position,'said portions of the rails being joined together to provide a continuous track.

27. A feed hopper for members having an annular groove, coin rising a pair of spaced rails providing a continuous track for engaging the groove in the members and upon which said incinbers can seat andslide, said track having portions in which the members seat in upright position and an intermediate portion in which the members in a position at an angle to the upright. i

28. An oscillatable feed hopper for headed members or the like, comprising a track in which the members can and slide, and resiliently mounted means engaging in a portion of the track within the hopper to clear the same members each downward movement of the hopper.

29. A machine of the character described, co1nprising a conveyor for intermittently presenting valve r the like to a station, a raceway in proxiaity to said station down which valve seat members are interrupter means at the lower end of said raceway for releasing the valve seat 111 acre singly in timed relation, m ans for receiving a released valve seat member and presenting it in superposed relation to a valve pin at said station, and means for releasing said valve seat member so that it will drop over the pin by the action of gravity.

A machine of the character desc-ibed, comprising a conveyor for intern'iitten iy pr senting valve pins or the like to a station, a raceway in pr ximity to station down which valve seat mein ors are fed, interrupter mean at the lower end of said raceway for releasing valve seat members singly in timed relation, means for receiving a valve seat member and presenting it in superposed relation to a valve pin at said station, means at said. station for cente lg the pin and guiding the valve seat -ber over said pin as said seat member moves do ..nwardly, said interrupter means being operable through the movement of the pin centering means.

ARTHUR J. LENIS. JOHN W. RICHARDSON. CHARLES J. SPILL. HARRY B. HAVEN. 

